Head-protecting head gear



Sept 10, 1963 M. PLAsTlNo 3,103,015

HEAD-PROTECTING HEAD GEAR Filed Feb. l, 1962 'O' VWWWWYVI Mmmm United States Patent O 3,103,015 HEAD-PRGTECTING HEAD GEAR Mario Plastino, 120 Tally Lane, Wantagh, NX. Filed Feb, 1, 1962 Ser. No. 170,364 6 Claims. (Cl. 2 3) The present invention relates to head gear and, more particularly, to head-protecting head gear, and especially to head protecting head ygear suitable for street or dress wear.

Various types of head gear to protect the head against injury from a blow have heretofore been known. However, in substantially all instances, such 'head protecting head gear has been of a special type, as in the form of a helmet, or the like, that was suitable for wear only on particular occasions or under special circumstances, as during certain types of games or on a construction location, or in the course of performing other hazardous tasks. Such special forms of head-protecting head `gear were, generally, unfit or improper for ordinary street or dress wear, where the person who :desires head protection does not desire to attract attention to himself as a resul-t of wearing an unusual or strange head covering.

It is the Ageneral object of the present invention to` provide dress `or street wear head gear that will protect the wearer against head injury without detracting iront or calling attention to his or her appearance. i

It is one object of the present invention to provide protective hea'd gear, of the character described, which is easily and conveniently removably from and replaceable within the head gear, so that its use is optional with and convenient for the wearer.

It is another object of the present invention to provide protective hea-d gear, of the character described, inwhich a protective shield is associated a street `or dresswear heat or cap in a manner that it may be removable from the head with the hat or cap and replaceable theres on upon the replacement of the hat or cap upon the head.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a street or dress-wear lhat or cap with head pro# tecting means that is of light weight and is otherwise relatively comfortable to wear.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide head-protecting means for a street or dress-wear hat or cap that -does not materially alter or detract from the appearance of the hat or cap.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide head protecting means for a street or dress-wear hat or cap that may be adjustable as to size, within limits, so that it need not be custom-produced `for the wearer and may be economically provided in a limited number of sizes in ready-to-wear form, by processes and apparatus that are relatively easy and economical to practice and use.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the head-protecting head gear 'of the present invention will ecome more readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the embodiments thereof shown in the accontpanying drawings and from the description following. It is to be understood, however, that such embodiments are shown by way of illustration only, to make the principles and practice of the invention more readily comprehensible, and without intent of limiting the invention to the specific details shown.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a hat of the fedor a type, looking inwardly thereinto, showing the protective liner of ythe invention disposed therewitbin; partly broken away to show details of construction and arrangement;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the hat of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a yfront elevation, partly in section, of the y3,l03,ill5 Patented Sept. 10, 1963 ICC hat of FIGS. l and 2, with the section taken on the plan of line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational View of a protective hat liner of the invention; partly in section, to show details;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a uniform cap having inserted therein a head protecting line of the invention; and

FIG. `6 is a rear elevational and partly sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the uniform ycap of FG. 5, with the section taken on the plane of line 6 6 of FIG. 5.

Generally stated, the invention consists in the provision for a street or dress-wear hat, such as a felt or straw hat, conventionally used for street or dress wear, or for a uniform cap, or any other head `gear that is formed with an inwardly -foldable sweat band at its head-receiving opening, of a head protecting liner consisting of a shell formed of a rigid, but inherently resilient material and having a crown section which is lined on the inside with a compressibly resilient material and a marginal edge portion around the crown section that is insertable between the sweat band and lthe head receiving section o-f the head gear so that the protective liner may -be easily and readily inserted within and removed from the hat or cap, and, when inserted, becomes part of the hat or cap to the extent of being removable from the head with the hat or cap and replaceable on the head with it, and is supported by it around the head with a `distribution of its weight and without undue pressure upon the crown of the head.

More specically stated and with reference to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 4, the same is shown to comprise a hat, such as a felt hat, generally designated as 1l), including a crown or headreceiving section 12, a brim, 14, and having the head admitting opening, 16, to Ithe edge portion of which is secured, by its outer edge, as at 18, for inward folding, a sweat band, 2t).

Disposed within the crown section l2 of the hat 10 is a protective liner, generally designated as 212, which consists of a shell that may be formed, preferably, of a synthetic plastic material of generally rigid and slightly resilient character and of sufficient thickness to resist impact. The shell consists of a crovm portion, 26, having the general shape and outline to i'lt loosely over the crown part of a head, and la marginal portion, 2S, extending from the edge of the crown portion, of a width substantially equal to the width of the sweat band 20, and of general conformity to the head supporting side portion of ahead; or, otherwise stated of a `general outline to lit within the inwardly folded sweat band Ztl. The shell may comprise a synthetic, preferably thermoplastic material, such as cellulose acetate or other plastic material having similar rigidity and inherent resilience, preferably in sheet form that may be molded economically by the vacuum molding process,

Secured to the inner surface of the crown portion 26 of the shell, es by any suitable adhesive, is la relatively thick, soft, 4and resiliently compressiole lining, 30, which may be formed of a spongy sheet material, such as sheet sponge rubber or rubber substitute, as polyethylene or polyester foam sponge, whose outer surface may, preferably be lined, as with a continuous film, 32, as of vinyl.

The marginal portion 28 of the shell may be continuous around the circumference of thecrown portion 26 or may be formed in contiguous, spaced sections separated by cut out darts, 34, to render the marginal portion adjustable as to peripheral size, to a limited extent, or -it may be in sections spaced a greater distance apart for the purpose of reducing the weight of the protective liner and of minimizing its head contacting tareas and the possible discomfort that may result to a minimum. For the same general purposes, the marginal portion 28 may be made thinner than the crown portion.

The shell of the protective liner 22 may be molded in a number of dilerent sizes, which, because of the adjustability of the marginal, unlined portion 28, need he only a limited number. It is insertable into the crown section 12 of the hat 10, through the open-ing 16, after the sweat band 20 has been folded outwardly, and after it is fitted in place the sweat band is folded hack into place, to thereby engage over the marginal shell portion 28, to retain the liner in place as lWell as to support it over a widely distributed area by the pressure of the hat distributed over a Wide area and without pressure on the crown off the head. The same procedure may be tollowed in removing the protective liner 22.

If desired, and preferably, Ventilating openings, such as the spaced apertures 36, may be providedI in the crown portion 26 of the liner shell, which extend through me lining 30. Ilf desired, Ventilating openings, in the form of spaced apertures 38, may be formed thnough the hat crown 12. Suoh openings 36 and 38 may be reinforced by eyelets, if desired, in :a manner Athat is conventional and well known.

FIGS. 5 and 6 of -the drawings illustrates the use of 'a protective liner 22 of the invention with -a uniform cap, generally designated as 40. The cap 40 is stormed with the head receiving section consisting of the conventional, annular, generally stili, head engaging band, 42, to one edge of which is secured the expansible hood portion, 44, and to the other edge of which is secured the inwardly folded sweat band, `44. The protective liner 22 is inserted and held in fthe oap 40 in a manner similar to that shown in connection 'with the [felt hat 10; namely, by iirst folding the sweat band 44 outwardly, inserting and fitting the line into the head receiving portion of fthe cap, and then 'folding the sweat lrband 44 inwardly -again over the marginal portion 28 of the liner.

This completes the description of the head protecting head gear of the present invention and of the protective liner used dor the purpose. It will -be |apparent that the head gear of the invention may be optionally used with or without the pnoteotive liner, and that, when used with the liner, the latter becomes a part of the head gear, to be removable and replaceable therewith from and on the head.

It will also be apparent -that the protective liner may be easily and conveniently and rapidly inserted into and removed from the head gear and that, when in place within the head gear, provides adequate protection to the head against injuring blows with a minimum of discomfort and irritation to the wearer.

It will likewise be apparent that the protective'liner of the invention when used with a street or dress-wear hat or with a cap does not materially atfect the appearance thereof or detract therefrom or from the appearance of the wearer and that such protective liner is a highly useful and desirable item for those who require protection for their head.

It will be further apparent that numerous modilioations and variations may be made in the protective headgear of the present invention hy any one skilled in the lart, n accordance with the principles of the invention hereinabove set forth and without the exercise of any inventive ingenuity. I desire, therefore, to be protected for 'any and all such modications and variations that may be made within lche spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. Head protecting means for head gear having a head receiving section and an inwardly foldable sweat band secured at the opening of said head receiving section, comprising a shell formed of a resiliently rigid material, said shell comprising a crown portion adapted .to cover the head above the ears and having .a substantially planar edge, and a lining of compressibly rigid material secured on the inside Iof said shell, said lining being of a dimension so as to leave an unlined marginal portion of said shell .adapted to t between said sweat band and the wall of said head receiving section.

2. Head-protecting means for headgear having a headreceiving section and an inwardly foldable sweat band secured at `the opening of said head-receiving section, comprising a shell formed of a relatively thin sheet of thermoplastic material of resiliently rigid characteristics, said shell comprising a crown portion adapted to cover the head above the ears and having a substantially planar edge, and a lining of relatively thick compressibly resilient sheet material secured on the inside of said shell, said lining being of a dimension so as to leave an unlined marginal portion of said shell `adapted to t between said sweat band and the wall of said head-receiving section.

3. Head protecting means for head gear having a headreceiving section and an inwardly foldable sweat band secured `at the opening of said head-receiving section, 'comprising a -shell formed of la relatively thin sheet of a resiliently rigid material, said shell comprising a crown portion adapted to cover the head above the ears and having a substantially planar edge, and a lining of a relatively thick layer of compressibly resilient material secured to and covering the inner surface of said shell, said lining being of la dimension so as to leave an unlined marginal portion of said shell adapted to t between said sweat band and the wall of said head-receiving v section.

4. The head protecting means of claim 3, wherein said marginal portion of said shell is formed with spaced cut-outs extending inwardly thereinto from the outer edge thereof.

5. Head-protecting head gear, comprising, in combination, a head Icovering having `a head-receiving section having a head admitting opening provided therein and an inwardly foldable sweat band secured by an edge thereof to said head-on receiving section lat its said head admitting opening, and a head protecting liner for said head covering comprising a shell formed of resiliently rigid material, said shell comprising a crown portion adapted to cover the head above the ears .and having a substantially planar edge, and a lining of compressibly resilient material secured to and covering the inside of said shell, said lining being of a dimension so as to leave an unlined marginal portion of said shell adapted to fit between said sweat band and the wall of said head-receiving section.

6. The head-protecting head gear of claim 5, wherein said marginal portion of said shell `is for-med with cut-out portions extending inwardly thereinto from the outer edge thereof.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,456,183 Knight May 22, 1923 1,483,881 Hart Feb. 19, 1924 1,789,188 McGuigan Jan. 13, 1931 2,140,716 Pryale Dec. 20, 1938 2,218,947 Brunzell Oct. 22, '1940 2,422,116 Mauro June 10, 1947 2,717,384 Frothingham Sept. 13, 1955 2,926,356 Taylor Mar. 1, 1960 3,015,103 Zbikowski Jan. 2, 1962 

1. HEAD PROTECTING MEANS FOR HEAD GEAR HAVING A HEAD RECEIVING SECTION AND AN INWARDLY FOLDABLE SWEAT BAND SECURED AT THE OPENING OF SAID HEAD RECEIVING SECTION, COMPRISING A SHELL FORMED OF A RESILIENTLY RIGID MATERIAL, SAID SHELL COMPRISING A CROWN PORTION ADAPTED TO COVER THE HEAD ABOVE THE EARS AND HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY PLANAR EDGE, AND A LINING OF COMPRESSIBLY RIGID MATERIAL SECURED ON THE INSIDE OF SAID SHELL, SAID LINING BEING OF A DIMENSION SO AS TO LEAVE AN UNLINED MARGINAL PORTION OF SAID SHELL ADAPTED TO FIT BETWEEN SAID SWEAT BAND AND THE WALL OF SAID HEAD RECEIVING SECTION. 